BOSTON — Isaiah Thomas clearly remembers the state of the Boston Celtics when he was acquired in a trade on Feb. 19, 2015.

They had a 20-31 record after winning just 25 games the previous season and were a long way from the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference.

Two-plus years later, the Celtics will begin the NBA playoffs this weekend as the top seed in the conference.

“They definitely wasn’t thinking No. 1 seed when I got here,” said Thomas, who came to the Celtics from the Phoenix Suns on the trade deadline day. “I know that for a fact. They were barely thinking playoffs.

“How fast it’s come says a lot about the direction this organization is going in, and the work we put in as players and coaches.”

All of that work paid off in the form of a 53-29 record that put the Celtics atop the East, two games ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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They will face old friend Rajon Rondo and the Chicago Bulls in the opening round of the playoffs, with Game 1 at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the TD Garden and Game 2 on Tuesday night.

The Celtics clinched the No. 1 seed Wednesday night when the Cavaliers, who waved the white flag this week by resting LeBron James and others, lost to the Toronto Raptors.

A few minutes later, the Celtics defeated the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks 112-94 with a strong fourth quarter to finish the regular season.

For the first time since the 2008 championship season – and only the second time since the retirement of Larry Bird – the Celtics are No. 1 in the East going into the postseason.

“I think it’s very special,” said Al Horford. “I feel like we’ve been a consistent group for most of the year. I don’t think a lot of people expected us to be in this position.”

Said Thomas: “It’s very special to me. I’ve never been a No. 1 seed, so it’s definitely something I’m excited about. But the playoff seeding goes out the window.”

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The Celtics recorded the fewest wins by a top seed in a non-lockout season since the Detroit Pistons also won 53 games in 2006-07.

They dealt with injuries and illnesses that limited the regular starting lineup to just 36 games, but never lost more than three straight games and improved by five wins over a year ago.

MAGIC: Orlando fired General Manager Rob Hennigan, saying it was time to go in a different direction after missing the postseason for five straight seasons.

GRIZZLIES: Guard Tony Allen is out indefinitely with a strained calf muscle in his right leg as his team gets ready for its Western Conference playoff series with the San Antonio Spurs.


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